This invention relates to a data processing apparatus and method and system and, more particularly to a data processing apparatus and method and system connected to an external device via a bidirectional interface.
Conventionally, an output device such as a printer which is connected to a host computer via a bidirectional interface has at least one or more emulation functions (e.g., LIPS, CaPSL, PCL and PostScript). Generally, as commands for these emulation functions, various registration commands are known. The registration command is used for registering information on font-pattern, macro-pattern, overlay-pattern, symbol set, fill-pattern and the like (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cregistration matter(s)xe2x80x9d), by transferring the informations from a host computer to an output device and storing a memory in the output device so that the registered matters can be used similar to other matters prestored in the output device.
Once the various registration matters are transferred from the host computer and registered in the output device by the registration command, the registered contents (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cregistered mattersxe2x80x9d) can be repeatedly used at the output device. Accordingly, at the host computer, it is not necessary to send the registration command every time the registered matter is required. This reduces the amount of data-transfer from the host computer and improves printing speed. Further, even information not stored in the output device can be freely defined and/or registered by an operator from the host computer side.
Since the various registration matters, to be registered by the registration command from the host computer, are registered by using the memory of the output device, in a case where the registered matter becomes unnecessary or a large amount of information is registered, the already-registered matter(s) should be deleted to make available memory space.
In the conventional art, to delete the various registered matters from the output device, the following methods are employed:
(1) Registration labels such as xe2x80x9cPermanentxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cTemporaryxe2x80x9d are given to respective registration matters, and upon initialization for emulation execution or completion of emulation job, the registered matters are deleted in accordance with the given label. More specifically, the host computer issues a reset command or the like so as to delete the registered matters having the same label at once.
(2) Upon registration of information, an ID number is given to the information, and later deletion of the registered matter is executed by designating the ID number with a registered-matter deletion command. Note that ID numbers are managed by the host computer from the registration time. Otherwise, the ID numbers are managed by the output device, and they can be obtained by referring to the output device from the host computer, via the bidirectional interface, for various registered matters.
However, such methods for deleting registered matters pose the following problems.
Generally, as registered matter is frequently used at the output device, the registered matter is important information and therefore it is preferable to hold the information. However, the conventional output devices execute deletion of registered matters regardless of information on the number of times of actual use, registered date and time, date and time of the last use. Accordingly, the conventional output devices cannot deal with a case where deletion should be made in accordance with registered date and time or date and time of the last use.
Further, in a case where a size of memory space to be released by deletion should be designated, prior to issuance of a deletion command from the host computer, the output device must inform the host computer of the ID numbers and stored data amounts of the respective registered matters. Accordingly, the host computer side must determine combination(s) of registered informations to be deleted, based on the stored data amounts of the respective registered matters before it issues a deletion command. This imposes a considerably large amount of load upon the host computer side.
Further, in a case where a size of available memory space of the output device should be designated before deletion, the output device must inform the host computer via the bidirectional interface of a current available memory size, the ID numbers of the registered matters and their stored data amounts, before the host computer issues a deletion command. Also, the host computer side must determine combination(s) of registered informations to be deleted, based on the stored data amounts of the respective registered matters before it issues a deletion command, and also this imposes a considerably large amount of load upon the host computer.
Further, the conventional output device cannot deal with a case where deletion from registered matter of the minimum number of time of use, or from registered matter of the oldest registration date and time, or from registered matter of the oldest date and time of last use, is desired.
Further, the conventional output device cannot deal with a case where automatic deletion after a predetermined time from registration, or automatic deletion of registered matter which has been used less number of times than a predetermined number of times in a predetermined time.
Further, the output device having a plurality of emulation functions cannot execute deletion by an emulation command of an emulation function different from an emulation function at registration time.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus and method and system which, upon execution of deletion of registered matter which has been registered from an external device, by an emulation function, selects registered matter that meets a designated deletion condition and deletes the selected information.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing the procedure in FIG. 7, however, difference is that when a predetermined period (designated by the registered-matter automatic deletion time designation command) has elapsed since a command instructing deletion (registered-matter automatic deletion control command) was received, actual deletion processing at step S72 and the subsequent steps is started. Various settings can be made, as the condition(s) of deletion at step S75, by the following emulation commands used upon registered-matter automatic deletion:
5.1 Registered-matter automatic-deletion execution time designation command
ESC*d#T (#=registered-matter automatic deletion execution time;
Ex.: deleted after one day, 18 hours and 24 minutes has passedxe2x86x9201:18:24)
5.2 Registered-matter automatic deletion number-of-use designation command
ESC*d#H (#=number of use: registered matter(s) having this value or less is deleted)
5.3 Registered-matter automatic deletion control command
ESC*d#A (#=0: not perform automatic deletion
1: at a time where a predetermined period has passed from registration, automatically delete registered matter(s) having number of use(s) of designated value or less
2: automatically delete registered matter(s) a predetermined period has passed from the last use
11, 12; automatically delete registered matter(s) registered by an emulation command the same as that used in registration of registered matters deleted with #=1 and 2)
Note that automatic deletion date and time can be designated by the above-described registered-matter automatic deletion dateandtime designation command 1.2.
Further, automatic deletion designation by these registered-matter automatic deletion designation commands is normally made upon registration, however, new automatic deletion setting can be made by designating the ID number of a desired registered matter by the fill-pattern ID-number designation command 1.1 at arbitrary timing and designating any of the registered-matter automatic deletion designation commands.
As described above, upon execution of deletion
a data processing apparatus having at least one emulation function, comprising:
communication means for bidirectional interfacing with an external device; and
control means for registering data based on an instruction transmitted from the external device, and deleting the registered data based on an instruction transmitted from the external device.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, deletion can be made from the external device, based on information on the number of times of actual use, registered date and time, date and time of the last use, and the like, thus improving operability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data processing apparatus and method and system which designates a size of memory space to be released by deletion, prior to execution of deletion.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing
the data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein if a size of memory space to be released is designated by the emulation command, the control means deletes the data by referring to the data size information so that memory space for the designated memory space size can be released.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, necessity for calculation of a size of memory space to be released by deletion at the external device can be omitted, thus the load at the external device can be reduced.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data processing apparatus and method and system which designates a size of memory space to be available after deletion, prior to execution of deletion.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing
the data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein if a size of memory space to be available is designated by the emulation command, the control means deletes the data by referring to the data size information so that memory space for the designated memory space size can be released.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, necessity for calculation of a size of memory space to be available after deletion at the external device can be omitted, thus the load at the external device can be reduced.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data processing apparatus and method and system which sequentially deletes registered matters based on predetermined registration information.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing
the data processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the additional information includes information on a number of use of the data, and
wherein if deletion based on the number of use information is instructed by the emulation command, the control means deletes the data based on the number of use information.
Further, the foregoing object is attained by providing
the data processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the additional information includes information on registered date and time of the data, and
wherein if deletion based on the registered date and time information is instructed by the emulation command, the control means deletes the data based on the registered date and time information.
Further, the foregoing object is attained by providing
the data processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the additional information includes information on date and time of last use of the data, and
wherein if deletion based on the last use date and time information is instructed by the emulation command, the control means deletes the data based on the last use date and time information.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, the registered matters can be deleted, from registered matter of the minimum number of times of use, or from registered matter of the oldest registration date and time, or from registered matter of the oldest date and time of last use, thus operability can be improved.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data processing apparatus and method and system which executes automatic deletion of registered matters based on predetermined registration information.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing
the data processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if automatic deletion is instructed by the emulation command, the control means automatically deletes the data by referring to the additional information.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, automatic deletion after a predetermined period from registration or automatic deletion in a case where the number of times of use is less than a predetermined number can be made, thus operability can be improved.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data processing apparatus an method and system which can delete registered matter(s) registered by an emulation command different from an emulation command used upon registration.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing
the data processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the additional information includes specifying information specifying a name of an emulation function used upon registration, and
wherein if deletion based on the emulation function name is instructed by an emulation command, the control means deletes the data based on the emulation function name.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, registered matters registered with a plurality of emulation commands can be deleted at once by issuing a deletion command, thus operability can be improved, and process speed can be increased.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same name or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.